The competition is fierce: Torino, Venice, Bergamo, Ravenna, Urbino, Siena, PerugiAssisi (as they style themselves for this), Terni, L’Aquila, Amalfi, Bari, Brindisi, Catanzaro and Palermo. Against these “pezzi grossi” the city of Matera in Basilicata has put itself forward as a candidate for the title of European Capital of Culture for 2019.